This week on pplpod, we step onto the stage of the Spanish Civil War with Carlos Saura’s acclaimed 1990 tragicomedy, ¡Ay, Carmela!

Join us as we break down this Goya Award-winning film that follows Carmela (Carmen Maura), Paulino (Andrés Pajares), and the mute Gustavete (Gabino Diego)—a trio of travelling vaudeville performers entertaining Republican troops in 1938. When a misty night leads them inadvertently into Nationalist territory, they are captured and forced to make a harrowing choice: face the firing squad or perform a burlesque show mocking the very ideals they believe in.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The Art of Survival: How the film uses humor to explore the brutality of war, marking a shift in Saura’s directorial perspective.

• The Ultimate Performan ...